San Diego County -- home of the nation’s two largest developers of unmanned aircraft -- has failed in its campaign to have Southern California named one six regions where scientists will test ways to integrate drones into the nation’s airspace.

The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday chose Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia for the Congressionally-mandated research and testing, which could lead to the certification of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) later this decade.

The FAA said it “considered geography, climate, location of ground infrastructure, research needs, airspace use, safety, aviation experience and risk” in making its decision.

The agency currently doesn’t allow for the widespread commercial operation of UAS, largely because of safety concerns, including potential collisions with manned aircraft. But the FAA is trying to accommodate the budding market for UAS, vehicles that are meant to do everything from monitor wildfires and agricultural crops to check on utility lines. Amazon.com recently caused a sensation by saying it is studying the idea of using pizza box-sized UAS to deliver products to people’s doorsteps.

San Diego joined with airports and pressed hard to have Southern California chosen as a test region, hoping to build on the UAS work done locally by defense giants Northrop Grumman and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. A National University study estimated that more than 7,100 people were employed locally, directly and indirectly, by the UAS industry in 2011.

A coalition led by the San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) proposed testing drones in an area that extends from China Lake to Edwards Air Force Base, then west to the Pacific and south to the Mexican border. The main flight corridors would be over lightly populated areas. The plan emerged in the spring, causing unease from some East County residents, who cited safety and privacy concerns. But the proposal had broad backing, and the reaction was quick and sharp on Monday when FAA didn’t chose San Diego’s plan.

“This is bad news for California,” said Larry Blumberg, executive director of SDMAC. “The economic impact would have been great. I’m very disappointed. Southern California has everything needed for this kind of testing -- open space over land and water, all kinds of terrain, from mountains to deserts to urban areas, and a manufacturing base.”

Blumberg was partly referring to Northrop Grumman and General Atomics, whose unmanned aircraft have been widely used in such places as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Neither company had immediate comment on the FAA decisioin.

The proposal was strongly supported by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, who told U-T San Diego by email on Monday, “The FAA certainly had enough locations to choose from, but among the sites selected, it’s hard to see how San Diego’s assets and resources did not put the region at the top of the list.

“San Diego has all the talent and capability to ensure any future use of unmanned platforms is safe and properly regulated. If the FAA plans on setting the parameters, then the objective must be to create very narrow and clear requirements for the potential use of unmanned systems. But If the testing was occurring regionally, there would be more opportunity to keep an eye on things and understand better the FAA’s process and test targets.”